Laughter Through Tears
by LadyWave
Summary: FWAJ Rated M to be on the safe side. Fred and Angelina's relationship in the postHogwart's world.
1. Prologue: Confirming His Worst Fears

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and if I did I would never admit it here

A/N: This is my first fan fiction and after years of reading other people's I thought I'd give it a shot. I'm a graduating college senior from the States with way too much time on my hands. The main characters of the HP series i.e. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are way overdone and while I'll always remain a HP/GW and RW/HG shipper for life, I thought it might be fun to explore the story of Fred Weasley and Angelina Johnson. This story takes place after they graduate from Hogwarts and continues on into the unknown future, but assumes that Fred and Angelina were dating at the time of his early departure. The prologue happens in the present, but the rest of the story will lead up to that moment in time (and hopefully if you all enjoy my work, I'll be able to catch up to that moment in time and continue forward). Reviews are greatly appreciated, but I ask that you be gentle. Enjoy!!!

_Prologue: Confirming His Fears_

For two days he had stayed away, it was all he could bear. He missed the sound of her laughter, the smell of her hair, the rhythm of her body. The last time he saw her had been a wake up call, as he stood in their foyer and listened to his proud and beautiful wife threaten to leave him.

As he stepped through the beveled glass of their front door, he automatically went to hand Wilkins his bags, but their butler of two years wasn't there. He had come home to make his apologies but was surprised to find the house dark and the furniture covered. A single white sheet of paper lay resting on the calling table. Even before he opened it, he began to fear that she had actually gone through with it; a sharp intake of breath echoed off the vaulted ceilings as he read, confirming his worst fears

The Civil Court of Great Britain's Wizengamot

On the 17th May, 2001

Will meet to hear to unbinding petition brought forth by

Mrs. Angelina Johnson-Weasley

against

Mr. Frederick B. Weasley

at 2:00pm, Ministry of Magic Building London

After everything they had been through, after all they had shared; his Angel was giving up on them. It finally got through his thick skull that he had pushed her too far. He stumbled blindly into the half-finished study, a project he had recommended she undertake. Now the room was a mess, he made himself a stiff drink and made his way to the only piece of furniture not covered, a relic from their first home. He hadn't wanted to keep it, proclaiming it was too shabby to take with them to their fine new home, but she had insisted the memories were too important, so he told her to keep it somewhere no one could see it. He remembered her face then, as if she were the chair and that what he really wanted to do was try and hide her. He sat down, lost in liquor and pain to try and figure out how he could possibly get her back…


	2. Chp1 The Last Train Ride Home

_Chapter One: The Last Train Ride Home_

"Christ, I'm glad that's over."

"The ceremony or Hogwarts in general?"

"Hogwarts…just wasn't the same without Fred…" the wistfulness in Angelina's voice was apparent and she knew that of all people Alicia would understand. She had been the one who stayed up nights with Angelina, held her when missing Fred became too overwhelming. They were on their last train ride back to Platform 9 ¾ and Angelina was almost spare with anticipation. It had been months since she had seen that hair or counted the freckles on his nose…

"Oi! Ange I asked you if you were ready to start up at the ministry?" Alicia said snapping her fingers.

"Enh, I don't think so. I'm kinda hoping that I'll get picked up by a quidditch team or travel or something. I mean the way the ministry's been acting I won't have anything to do with them."

"Amen to that." Lee Jordan, who was dozing behind his curtain of dreadlocks next to Alicia, took this as an opportunity to chime in.

"Yeah Lee, like your one to talk with your cushy job at daddy's office, I mean the WWN has been very friendly to Fudge and his stories." Lee's dad controlled a majority of the shares at the WWN, a sore spot with Angelina considering the negative spin the network was putting out these days. "Besides, I thought you were gonna move in with the twins and help out with the Shop."

"Nah, Dad really doesn't really want me to as he says 'waste anymore time,' I'm sure the guys will be able to manage without me."

"Oh Angelina you should have them hire you!"

"Smashing idea Leesh! Who else, I mean besides me of course, could keep up with those two." Lee offered.

"Besides it could be a lot of fun and at least keep you occupied until you figure out what you really want to do."

Looking back and forth between Alicia and Lee eagerly planning out the rest of her life made Angelina take in the lingering essence that was her childhood. Voldemort was back, of this they were all certain, but they were determined to continue their lives as best they could.

Her own reverie had sent Lee back to his nap and Alicia to her issue of the Quibbler. Angelina could do nothing but snuggle on her bench and watch the scenery change. All the while knowing that every meter that passed brought her one meter closer to the real world, the world that Fred was now a part of.

The noise of homesick first years clamoring to exit the train made Angelina jump up. Catching her reflection in the window, the 'I just spent the past hour against the windowpane drooling with my mouth open look' just wasn't acceptable. In a flurry she began to pinch her cheeks and comb fingers through her hair.

"He's not going to care you know." The voice was Lee's. "I actually heard him say once that you were hottest to him right after Quidditch practice…even with the sweat."

At this Angelina had to smile. While George's taste has always run toward delicate, fey creatures, Fred actually found her, in all her tomboyish glory, attractive, which was a fact she never really understood.

"Thanks Lee, you better make sure to visit us on Diagon Alley."

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss the twins begging me for air time for anything."

"I guess this means you'll be at the joke shop then?" Alicia asked while she made for her purse.

"If they'll have me." Angelina shrugged her shoulders and made for the platform, but had she lingered longer she would have seen the conspiratorial look that passed between Lee and Alicia.

The first people she saw when she stepped off the train were her parents. Her parents, of course, were not easily missed: her father, a well-built 6'2 coach for the Hollyhead Harpies easing graciously into middle-age and her gorgeous muggle mother, whose looks still had the ability to make men drool. Colin and Tessa Johnson were a striking couple and damn fine parents if Angelina had anything to say about it. Just as she was about to shout a quick hello, she noticed a flash of red standing next to her father and for a brief second the world paused.

There he was all 6'0 of him, all 32 nose freckles, the muscular arms that had saved her from a bludger beating more times than she could count. His clothing was simple: jeans, a muggle T-shirt but they were definitely new. His hair, that hair she could spend hours playing in, was everywhere just as she liked it. His face was caught up in a great laugh and for all she cared laughing and Frederick Brighton Weasley might as well have been synonymous.

As she approached, yet unnoticed by the trio that consisted of the three most important people in her life, she caught snippets of Fred telling the story of his and George's early departure from Hogwarts. Her father was heartily enjoying it and just as Fred said 'Give him hell for us Peeves," Angelina's mother finally caught sight of her.

"Oh look Colin there she is! Our Hogwarts graduate!"

"I don't think so, that beautiful woman walking towards us couldn't possibly be my little Angelina." Colin's voice boomed as he was the first to reach her, enveloping her in the bear hug that was like coming home.

"Hey dad!" and after he released her she moved into the embrace of her mother "Mmmm…mum, I've really missed you guys."

"My girl, best damn captain Gryffindor ever had!"

"I don't know about all that Dad."

"Are you kidding, honey, I mean I may have no head for quidditch as your father likes to remind me almost everyday…but with the teams you had….the losses….and still pulling out the Quidditch Cup! Even I know that's something."

"Couldn't have said it better myself Tessa."

"Me neither." It was the first time he had spoken; she had almost forgotten he was there…well almost. Since her father had hugged her, she had felt his eyes on her. He was being polite and waiting his turn, very un-Fred like.

"Zounds, here we've been chattering on and on about how much we've missed you and your friend, who has come all the way from Diagon Alley just to welcome you back…"

"Diagon Alley is but a few blocks from here Tessa." Colin interjected.

"…You're father and I will collect your things and see you back at home."

"She's not coming with us?"

"Oh don't be such a mollycoddler Colin! Angie can take of herself."

"I'll be on my best behavior sir."

"You'd better be Mr. Weasley, see you back at home darling." Colin shot a wary look at Fred, kissed his daughter on the forehead and went on in search of her trunks.

"Well…Fred lovely to have seen you again and make sure your mother sends me that recipe for Baked Alaska."

"Will do Mrs. Johnson."

"Please Fred its Tessa and Angelina make sure to thank this young man properly." With a coquettish wink she was gone, disappearing into the crowd.

"I forgot how hot your mom is! If that's how good you're going to look in 25 years it's a good thing I snapped you up now."

"Nice to see you again too, Fred."

"Looking good Angel."

"Not too bad yourself…I can't believe it has been months since I last saw you: flying away from me into the sunset, a legendary moment in Hogwarts History that I actually got to witness."

"So it is going to make it into the next edition, George and I were wondering." His smirk, so self-assured made her remember just how much she had missed him. "Do you think your parents are gone yet?"

"Pretty sure."

"Good…I've been waiting weeks to do this." With that his hands were in her hair, his lips had fused with her own, each of them savoring the taste of reunion, living the real version of the fantasy that had kept them sane through their weeks apart.

"Oi…the whole bloody platform doesn't want to watch you swallow your bird's face."

"Stuff it Ron, if you finally did the same thing to Hermione all of Hogwarts would thank you!" Satisfactorily putting his errant brother back into his place, Fred turned his attention back to Angelina.

"Now where were we exactly?" As he bent to kiss her again, she deftly evaded him spinning around so that her back was to him. He responded by putting his arms around her waist. "What's all this about?"

"I don't know Fred... I don't think I'll ever quite forgive you for leaving me the way you did." He knew she was playing with him; he had been prepared for this.

"Come with me." He led her to a less populous area of the terminal. "Angel I never left you, not for a second. How could I when you were haunting my every waking moment even my dreams?"

Her facial expression belied her surprise. She watched as Fred went into his pocket and pulled out two photos.

"I always kept you guys close to my heart, just because I left early doesn't mean that I didn't miss the place." He had the Gryffindor Quidditch Team photo in his hand, taken before everything had gone so downhill so quickly. Katie and Alicia were down front, cross-legged holding the quaffle between them. Harry and Ron were down on knee on either side of them, behind them standing Angelina and the twins. George was making to thwack someone with his bat. Angelina was beaming, proudly sporting her captain's badge, while her photo-self we ever mindful of her errant boyfriend sneaking his arm about her waist, his eyes winking at the camera.

"And if I ever got tired of looking at that one, I always had my back-up." The second photo was just Fred and Angie at the Yule Ball from sixth year. It was an action shot of the two of them wildly dancing to the Weird Sisters. It had always been Angie's favorite picture of them as memories of that night still brought a smile to her face.

"Well I never would have expected this from you Fred, but you're pulling this whole romantic thing off rather well."

"I wouldn't get used to it, but when a bloke can't see his girl for weeks, he has to be prepared."

"Yeah well, hopefully you'll be seeing a bit more of me in the coming months."

"Oh really?"

"Well I was kind of hoping you'd hire me down at the shop."

"Why Miss Johnson, I never figured you for the jokes business."

"It'd just be for awhile, you know until I figure out what I want to do."

"Sure we'd love to have you, we've even got an extra bedroom in the flat upstairs. When do you want to start?"

She smiled. "Yesterday."


	3. Chp2 Setting Up Shop

_Chapter Two: Setting Up Shop_

While Angelina didn't move into her new home as fast as she had originally hoped, by August she found herself at the front door of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. She had spent a majority of her summer at home with her parents or hanging out at the Pitch with her dad. She had realized that she may not have a career in Quidditch as an actual player, but she did have a great in road to becoming a coach. Throughout the summer she had met up with her various school friends. Angelina, Fred, George, Alicia, and Lee had become regular Friday fixtures at the Dastardly Wizard, a wizard's club in London. She and Fred often went on various dates: quidditch games where they would both loose their voices or quiet dinners at quirky restaurants. Life after Hogwarts was a wondrous mix of freedom and pleasure: they were young, without responsibility.

Fred had her come on a Saturday morning so they could spend all day getting her settled in the flat and showing her around the shop.

"You going to actually come inside or stand here looking at it all day Johnson?" George walked up to her, a copy of the Daily Prophet tucked under his arm.

"Well I'd love to just go inside but there's no telling what kind of strange security charms you guys have in place."

"You know us all to well."

"Pride myself on it."

"I just got back from making you copies of the keys, so here's one for the flat, one for your bedroom, and one for the shop."

"One for my bedroom?"

"Your dad was around a few days ago, grilling me and Fred about the 'sanctity of your space.' I think he even put a special charm on it so neither one of us could go in or he threatened to at least."

"Sorry about that."

"Hey if Ginny started sharing a place with two guys, all of us Weasley men would do the same thing." His smile was like Fred's but different, one of the main reasons she had always been able to tell the twins apart. "Well that's enough chatter let's get you upstairs."

"Where's Fred? Still asleep?" George quirked an eyebrow at her, "Sorry that was a dumb question."

"Anyway there's a gate here to the right which leads to the back stairway, follow me."

Angelina had prepared herself for the worst, very cramped quarters with two of the world's messiest men. She had been prepared to bring a female eye and her instincts had never failed her. But when George opened the door to her new home, she was nothing short of surprised. Upon entering the flat she noticed how dark it was, things strewn about the floor in every which way, dishes piled up in the kitchen. She could smell the loo without seeing it and there were at least six bags of trashed piled by the door.

"Thanks for cleaning for me."

George cracked a smile and a careless shrug, "Too busy doing real things like coming up with new products and working the floor, you can see why we need you."

"To be your maid?"

"Oh no way, we just need help. I mean there is a lot of stuff going on and we definitely need an extra set of hands. You're room is back this way." She followed him down the hall, to her left one door was firmly shut obviously Fred's. Through the next door way she got a glimpse of George's room which was in no better state than the common areas. "This here is your room; the loo is at the end of the hall."

George opened the door to her room, she could tell the paint was new and the wooden floors were freshly polished. There was a queen-sized bed, dresser, and desk inside. She could tell Fred had something to with it the walls were a nice mint-green and her trunks, which she had sent ahead, were in a neat stack on the far side of the room.

"He was up all night."

"I'm sure."

"I've got a few more errands to run, orders to place, groceries to buy…anyway I'll be out for awhile. Think you'll be alright?"

"Yeah, I'll just unpack and stuff."

"When Fred gets out of bed make sure he shows you the ropes downstairs, we're having you start immediately."

"You got it."

"Oh and Angie…."

"Yes George?"

"Really glad you're here." He gave her a fraternal peck on the cheek and whisked out the door.

She had always been a friend of George's. In fact he was the first Weasley twin she actually met, the one who convinced her into trying out for the house team and the one who had given her the support to keep after Fred. She couldn't imagine a better place for her to be at the moment.

With that in mind, Angelina headed straight for Fred's room.

Fred Weasley was asleep in his bed, one arm wrapped around his pillow, sheets tangled about his waist. The creak of his door caused him to stir.

"C'mon George give me at least five more minutes."

"Not George." The voice was female. For a second he was disoriented, he made for his wand which was on the bureau next to him.

"Stupefy."

Angelina managed to successfully block him with a shield charm. "Even in your sleep you're slow."

Fred was now sitting up in bed, his bare chest visible, breathing heavily. "You're scared the shit out of me Angie."

"I live here Fred."

"Yeah but this is a recent development, you remember MadEye 'CONSTANT VIGILENCE.'"

"Well I'm glad one of your school lessons actually stayed with you."

She was a vision in his door way, long gone were the tiny braids: her long hair falling in soft waves down her back, half of it pinned up. She wasn't wearing any make-up, the way he liked it. Her look was earthy, natural, basic, and essential. Her white blouse provided a pleasing contrast to the caramel tone of her skin, while her jeans hugged her body in ways Fred only dreamed about.

"Come have a lie in with me."

"Fred it's already 9:30."

"What's your point?" Of course she fell into bed with him, just as he new she would. They lay there side by side contemplating the ceiling, the late morning light streaming through the curtains. He could smell her scent, just like the magnolias that bloomed in the garden at the Burrow. Here she was in his bed, he moved his hand to link his fingers with hers and drifted back to sleep wondering if this wasn't all part of his dream.

Angelina could tell by the regulation in his breathing, that Fred had gone back to sleep. She slowly extricated her fingers from his grasp and snuck quietly out to unpack her belongings.

She spent most of the morning placing pictures on the wall, hanging up her clothes, making up her bed. It was calming work and it made Angelina quite content to know that Fred was sleeping down the hall, the whole scene quite domestic. Once her room was finished, she decided to make headway in the loo and kitchen. Her mother had sent her with all sorts of cleaning supplies, while Angelina could obviously do a simple charm, her mother had taught her the muggle way to keep house. It was a part of her non-magic self that she was loathe to relinquish.

She moved on to the living room, folding various articles of clothing, opening windows to let in fresh air, checking corners for dust, and fixing cushions. By noon she has made definite headway and Fred still wasn't awake.

"Hey Angel." He had caught her unawares, on her hands and knees scrubbing their kitchen floor. She had on tatty house clothes, old football shorts from when she was younger and a tank-top that showed off her ample bosom all to well to the man watching her.

"It's about time." She looked up at him, a piece of hair falling into her face from the messy ponytail that was trying to restrain it.

"You know I'm not a morning person."

"Got that seeing as how it's almost 1 in the afternoon."

"You want to head down to the shop." He was scratching his head, still not completely awake. He wore low slung pajama bottoms that were flirting dangerously with his hips, almost daring Angelina to tug on them to see if they would fall.

"You want to put some clothes on?"

"Not really."

"Tease."

"Don't I know it?"

"Let me finish this floor and Ill be right down." Fred turned to exit.

"Oh and Fred?"

"Yeah?"

"My face is up here."

From the tips of ears forward, Fred Weasley flushed the color of a man caught in the act.

"So you'll mainly be in charge of using that winning personality of yours to help with the customers and ring up sales. And you'll have to help with restocking and stuff." Fred had led her down to the shop and had her in the main room which was full of shelves of Weasley creations.

"Register and the books?"

"Books?...Angie, I thought you knew this was a joke shop?" To Angelina's surprise he wasn't kidding.

"No Fred. Books like accounting, management, the budget. You and George do have all those right?"

His face was blank; it appeared that the Weasley twins didn't have a clue."

"Damn Fred, you need to have balance sheets, make sure you're actually making money."

He gave this due consideration and with a smile on his face pronounced "Well there you have it, you can do that too."

She smiled, leave it up to herself to actually introduce responsible business tactics to the twins, she was amazed they had remained open as long as they had.

"C'mere I want to show you something."

He led her down an aisle whose theme could be loosely described as pink everywhere, obviously this section was dedicated to their female clientele. Fred picked up a box and pushed into her hands.

"A daydream charm?"

"Yep, these kept me going when I couldn't be with you."

Her caramel cheeks colored, to know that Fred daydreamed about her assured her that she was not the only one left unsatisfied by their separation.

"And how were these daydreams?"

"Oh Miss Johnson, I would not want to insult your maiden ears, but trust me if I had known you owned shirts like the one you've got on now, you probably would have been wearing that in the beginning instead of your school robes." His voice had turned warm and sensuous; it flowed over Angelina like warm butterbeer.

"What do you mean beginning?"

As he moved behind her to replace the box on the shelf he whispered in her ear "That is to say that by the end of it, you don't have clothes on at all."

His hand was on the small of her back, while the other turned her to face him.

"It was nice waking up to you this morning, even if I did think you were trying to kill me."

At this she could only laugh, she decided to play coy. Skipping free of his light hold she moved to the counter, sitting next to an antique looking machine, "So this is the register Ill be manning?"

Fred, not in the least discouraged decided to play the game her way for awhile, "Yeah, its fairly simple, buttons with numbers. Think you can handle it?"

"I can handle anything." She winked.

"Would you be able to handle it if I did this?" He had been too quick for her this time, his hand moving upward to cup her breast, teasing her nipple through her shirt, while his other hand moved up her arm and shoulder to the base of her neck.

"Fred…"

"I do love it when you moan my name."

"C'mon we have to stop."

"Why? No one is here. It's just you and me, with you on the counter just like I've imagined since we bought this place."

With that she grasped his t-shirt to pull him the last few inches that separated their mouths. He got lost in the taste in her, daring her to go places they had never gone before. In that moment, she was the only thing that existed for him, her touch the only thing he could feel, her scent the only thing he could smell. The way she whispered his name was music to his hears, the tinkling bell above the front door was not.

"Oi twin! Can't molest the employees, the girl could sue for sexual harassment." George walked in, impossibly cheery over the scene.

Angelina took this as an opportunity to escape, knowing at that moment she had let Fred go farther than she had ever dared to before. "Right, well I'll just head back upstairs and finish cleaning. She took off through the back, not looking back, knowing that if she did she'd see a very disappointed Fred.

"Dammit George!"

George chuckled. "I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunities, she does live with us now mate."

"Not the point, we were in the middle of a moment."

"Well now you and I can have a moment while you help me get these bags upstairs."

Shopkeeping had never been an aspiration of Angelina's but within the first two weeks of working at WWW's, she seemed to realize that she may have missed her calling. The upbeat pace of the shop made sure that she never had a dull moment and at night she busied herself getting the accounts in order, believe it or not the twins were turning a comfortable profit.

Her job may have been easy, but her living situation was far from it


	4. Chp3 The Calm

A/N: Well so I got my first two reviews and they surprised and pleased me so much that I was motivated to continue my story. I'm hoping that Ill get into a groove about chapter length, I feel like they will stay the same length or get considerably longer, but that will work itself out I suppose. Enjoy!!!!—LadyWave

P.S. I realized I uploaded the wrong version of Chapter 2, that is to say there is an unnecessary cliffhanger there, so I'm reposting that last part here, sorry about that everyone.

_End of Chapter 2_

….Shop-keeping had never been an aspiration of Angelina's but within the first two weeks of working at WWW's, she seemed to realize that she may have missed her calling. The upbeat pace of the shop made sure that she never had a dull moment and at night she busied herself getting the accounts in order, believe it or not the twins were turning a comfortable profit.

Her job may have been easy, but her living situation was far from it. While there had been no repeat of what had happened between her and Fred on the cash register, the electricity between them was palpable. Times she would catch him staring at her during work or he would brush against her 'accidentally' moving down the aisles. At night, when she was working on organizing the finances she could feel his presence behind her, his lean frame lounging casually in her doorway. When she would ask him what he wanted he would simply quirk a smile and walk away.

Lying in bed, knowing that he was across the hall, was enough to drive a girl crazy.

_Chapter 3_

It was times like these when he realized how much their apartment had been hankering for a feminine touch. Not that much had changed, except where there once was unrestricted clutter, there was at least organized chaos. Angelina had worked nothing short of a miracle in that tiny flat, turning that small rented space into a home. She kept fresh flowers on the table usually lilacs, roses, or gardenia: she loved flowers. Fred sometimes found himself stopping in unfamiliar gardens or stepping into shops to get her new ones, and without fail she would bury her nose in the fresh bouquet and run off to put them in water. He loved her soft feminine side because it came out so rarely. Tonight they were headed to the Dastardly Wizard to meet up with old Hogwarts' gang and Fred knew he looked good dressed in a navy blue button-down shirt, pressed khaki pants, and loafers, ensconcing a body that was still well-honed from quidditch.

Angelina on the other hand was exhibiting the female tendency of not being happy with any outfit she was wearing. She was currently on her fourth ensemble; the previous three Fred had been asked his opinion on, proclaiming they had all looked good on her, but to no avail. It was slightly charming on the girl he had fallen in love with on the Pitch, but a man could only take so much especially since they were already 30 minutes late.

"Angelina Eleanor Johnson it is 10:30!"

She peaked her head out of her door, obviously hopping on one foot. "Oof, Fred I'm coming just let me strap these bad boys on."

"Women" he said just loud enough so that she could hear him.

"Heard you!"

He could only shake his head and sit back down with his copy of the Quibbler. After another 15 minutes Angelina finally made an appearance.

"Oi Weasley lets get a move on!"

"Angelina, isn't that the first dress you had on?"

"What exactly is your point?"

He chuckled getting ready to dissapperate "Absolutely nothing, now let's get you drunk so I can bring you home and take advantage of you!"

* * *

The Dastardly Wizard was quickly becoming one of the hottest spots in young Wizard London. Through his father's connections with the Wireless Network, Lee Jordan had been able to secure them a permanent spot on the guest list every Friday night. Drinking, dancing, gossip mongering, all went on at the famous nightclub. It was the place to see and be seen, where people could almost forget the storm brewing and the threat of an on-coming war. After a night at the Dastardly Wizard, people only looked to see if there name had made into the gossip section of the Daily Prophet.

Angelina knew that she and Fred made a striking couple. Physically they were as different as night and day but they complimented each other, tonight was no exception. She was aware of the stares sent their way, the Weasley twins like the other men of that celebrated red-headed clan had come into their own with reputations of being ladies men. Word had spread that their joke shop was expanding, they were perfect on-paper men and many dim-witted witches liked to believe that they would be able to get their hands on at least one. While Angelina loved to give George a hard-time about his many conquests, the seemingly unlimited attention to Fred always brought about the unwanted flutter of jealousy to the pit of her stomach. She gripped his arm little tighter as he led them inside.

"Hell, twin I was beginning to think you two got tangled up in the bed linen and weren't coming!" George, obviously many drinks ahead of them commented as they sat down.

"Oh George, thanks for changing your sheets for us, they were so nice and soft."

"I don't know if I'm even comfortable with that mental image, Angel." Fred commented.

"Well get us another round, I think the future mother of my children just walked in." George got up from the table abruptly

"I swear if you two didn't look exactly alike I would wonder. Only George is here and you were hassling me for being late."

"We were late, and obviously George drinking alone is never a good idea. Look…there's Lee." Fred pointed out their mutual friend who was busy making his way over to them.

"What's going on Angie? Fred?"

Fred went over to give him a man-hug, the one arm pull in. "Nothing much mate, commenting on how my illustrious twin can't hold his liquor."

"He'd better that's Gwendolyn Fudge he's got his arm around."

"The Minister's niece?" Angelina asked turning in her chair to take in the buxom brunette. "She's too hot to be related to Cornelius Fudge!"

Both boys let out hearty laughs, Lee sat down next to Angie who was currently snuggled up against Fred. "Alicia coming tonight?" he asked.

"Unfortunately no, she got stuck down at the bookstore she sends her love though."

"Hmm that's too bad, and here's George with the drinks."

George appeared then with a tray full of frightening looking concoctions "That's gonna be three shots around for you lazy sods!"

"I take it that isn't mulled mead?" Angelina asked quirking an eyebrow at him. Years of being around the Weasley twins had taught her how to hold her liquor, seeing George like this brought back fond memories of all them in the astronomy tower their fifth year getting trashed. Of course, that night hadn't ended well…

"Oh I know my Angelina can hold her liquor." Fred added with a wink.

Four rounds of firewhiskey later, the intrepid quartet wasn't at their personal best. The music was thumping inside the club which was now filled to capacity. Scantily clad women grinding up against their dates, there was something primal about it. George was off snogging Gwendolyn Fudge in some dimly lit corner and Lee was dancing on tables. Fred on the other hand was fascinated by the tiny straps on his girlfriend's dress.

"Honestly Angel, I don't understand how they work."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out." She was sitting in his lap, hair tousled. She looked almost regal to him and it wasn't the first time that he questioned how someone like her could be with a bloke like him.

"C'mon Angel lets get out there."

"You really want to dance?" she sounded skeptical.

"We've danced before."

"That was two years ago and we made complete asses of ourselves."

"I didn't think you minded."

"I didn't." She slipped off his lap, grabbed his hands and led him off to the dance floor.

For all Fred cared, there wasn't anyone else on that floor except for her. Her body undulating against him, made him want to get out of there fast. He turned her to face him, leaning in close

"Let's get out of here."

"We can't."

"Why?"

"I'm too drunk to apperate; I'll be splinched for sure."

"I'll make sure you get home safely."

"Mmmm, Fred you are too good to me."

He led her to the door, giving her his jacket making sure it was pulled tight against her. The stepped out into the brisk fall weather, where the crisp late-autumn air was doing much to sober him up, that and the dulcet tones of Angelina's voice singing "It's all gone quiet over there…"

The walk back to their flat was almost pleasant, but it bothered him how quiet things had gotten. He had lived in London for almost six months and had noticed how the wizarding community was beginning to retire earlier in the evening. He wasn't ignorant of what was going on and firmly stood behind Harry and Dumbledore in the belief that Voldemort was back. George and he had talked about officially joining the Order but they both agreed that they wanted to make sure the shop was more stable.

Then there was Angelina….

Fred knew very well that if he and George joined the Order, she would be right behind them and he wasn't sure how he would handle it. For the first time in his life he felt a sense of responsibility to someone outside of his own family, he wanted to protect her.

"Fred?"

"Hmm?"

"You've turned all serious."

"Naw, you're just still drunk."

"I know that silly….but your face is all frumpy, concern is written all over it." She was using her arms to gesticulate making it difficult for Fred to keep her steady.

"C'mon Angie, its only two more blocks."

"I don't think I can make it

"Alright then" He swooped her off of her feet and held her tightly in his arms, how he manages to get them home, he never knew. He couldn't put her in her own bed because of her father's charms so he settled on letting her sleep in his. She made small childlike noises of contentment once he pulled the blankets up to her neck, for her own warmth and to help him resist temptation. He ran his hands against her smooth cheek, traced her lips with his fingers, bent over and kissed her on the forehead. He retired to the couch in the living room, where he slept the sleep of the innocent.

In two weeks, Fred's dire predictions and apprehensions about the future would come true, hitting far too close to home. That day while working in the shop, Alicia Spinnet reported to them that their best friend Katie Bell had been attacked

* * *

A/N so that's the end of Chapter 3, and I sincerely hoped you enjoyed it. Still muddling my way through somewhat cannon territory (doing my best since my copies of the books are back in California), stick with me and I promise you won't regret it--LadyWave 


	5. Chp4 Who's Joining the Order?

A/N after many days, here it is Chapter 4. There seem to be a lot of comments in reviews about the Prologue and how it corresponds with the rest of the story. Things may seem okay now, but Fred and Angelina's relationship will definitely evolve over time, but I will say it is going to take awhile to get there. To be brutally honest the story will move a lot faster once I get out of canon territory. I honestly don't know how JK does it. Obviously I'm still muddling through 1996-1997 (Book 6), but the story is sketched out and like JK I already have the last chapter written. But from the reviews I've been getting everyone seems to enjoy the story. As a special gift, the next installment (not this one but the next ;)) will be a two chapter upload, so read relax review (and if you haven't reserved your special edition copy of Book 7 do it now!!!)---LadyWave

_Chapter 4_

"I'm worried about Angelina."

"Not responding to your sexual advances as quickly as you would like?" George winked at him from across the table that he along with Lee and Fred were occupying. It was another Friday night at the Dastardly Wizard and for the second weekend in a row Angelina had refused to come out.

"She's having a hard time with this Katie business."

Bringing up Katie Bell had the effect of sobering the mood as all three men were reminded of a girl whose condition had not improved since her attack. The healers were stumped and hoped that time might allow her to heal, the Katie they knew had always been a fighter but she seem to be losing the battle for her life.

"Has Angie been spending a lot of time down at the hospital?" Lee offered.

"It's not just that, she's become obsessed down at the shop too and she's moody. Everything has to be just so, she's scaring a majority of the clientele for just for taking products off the shelves. I mean it's hard to sell things when the customer can't even take a look at what he's buying."

"You know Katie was like a little sister to Angie" said Lee.

"I told you to just let her run the books for a little bit, we _can_ afford the extra help twin." George stressed.

Fred's response was to send a weary eye to his brother as if this was a subject they had spoken of a thousand times before. As Angelina had made clear they were making enough money to take on extra help, but he was adamant about waiting until he and George joined the Order. Fred wanted to save as much money as possible to make sure things would run smoothly in their absence. Of course they hadn't really told anyone they would be joining up as of yet.

"Wait a sec! You blokes are up to something." Lee seemed offended; he knew when the infamous Weasley twins were up to something and this time was no different. The twins may have been able to communicate without words but Lee was at least aware that there was a conversation going on over his head.

George quickly finished his pint. "Don't worry about it Lee."

"Dammit George that shit got old around the third week I knew you guys."

"Really it's nothing Lee." Fred tried to skirt the issue. It wasn't as if the twins would not be overjoyed to take Lee into their confidence, but if there was one true thing about Lee Jordan it was the fact that he was a walking megaphone and Angelina's largest source of information on the twins.

"Well this is promising." Lee pushed back from the table rubbing his fingers together. "Let me guess, you don't want Angelina to know. Look men this is a time of war, no use being tied to the girl's apron strings, besides I'm already not going to be on her good side when she finds out I'm joining the Order."

The table was promptly drenched by a shower of beer, the twins with mirror images of amazement turned to their friend, obviously dumbfounded.

"I figured now was as good a time as any to tell you guys, but Katie was the last straw. I can't sit down at the Network everyday knowing that these bastards are out there terrorizing innocent people." Lee had gotten a bit flushed; everyone thought he may have at one point taken a fancy to Katie.

"Good on you mate." George congratulated him, looking askance at Fred. He received the non-verbal confirmation he needed. "Fred and I are joining up too."

While the world around them was all raucous partying, the devil may care attitude that had been attributed to the Weasley Twins and Lee Jordan during their school days was nowhere to be found. In this moment of understanding the drastic undertaking they were about to pursue, the era of carefree childhood was over. Their outward appearance may not have changed, but there was a resolve to stand and fight for the world they had known.

"I have a feeling we're gonna need another round." Fred smirked. "Especially because I'm probably going to be the one tell Angelina."

"She's your bird" said George with a knowing grin.

"She doesn't want you to join up Fred? I'd have thought this would have been right up Angie's alley, giant adventure with you two blokes."

"You're spot on Lee and that's exactly what I'm afraid of." Fred finished as the next round found its way to their table. "Well gentlemen…a toast to the newest enterprise, may it be as successful as the rest of our crazy endeavors."

"Hear, Hear!!!"

* * *

"So it appears that Witch Weekly is proclaiming yellow as the color for spring. I mean Kates, can you honestly imagine me in yellow. You'd never lose me in a crowd that's for sure." The laugh that flowed from Angelina was hollow and strained. She had been keeping up this vigil for the past two weeks and it was beginning to take its toll. She would visit and talk with almost as if she were awake, the healers believed it might be good for her, but Angie was beginning to allow doubt to shadow her thoughts.

"Miss, visiting hours are over in 15 minutes." The medi-witch had come in to check Katie's vitals.

"Thank you." Angelina sighed. It worried her that Katie hadn't made any improvement. She moved to put on her cloak while still keeping an eye on Katie's still form. For a girl with so little family, Katie had always been to Angelina that slightly annoying younger sibling you simply adore.

"You're still here Angelina" a matronly voiced jerked her attention.

"Good evening Mrs. Bell."

"Angelina, it's a Friday Night." It was surprising how all mothers had the ability to send that stern look.

"I know…it's hard for me to go out and have a good time, while she's cooped up in here."

"You should be young while you still have a chance, my dear." She patted Angie on the cheek and moved towards the bed to resume her nightly vigil with her daughter. Angie, deciding to walk the few blocks home made her way to the exit.

Mrs. Bell's words struck a cord in Angelina, frankly it pissed her off. She was a girl incensed. The streets outside of St. Mungo's blurred together as tears of pure frustration fell down her cheeks. She felt like flying, she felt like going to Aruba and never coming home. Life simply wasn't at all fair.

Katie was the homebody; she never went out looking for trouble. While she and Alicia had always been willing participants in their group's escapades, Katie never dared risking it. They called her the sane one and now she was lying in a hospital bed missing out on quidditch, school, parties, and quite possibly her damn N.E.W.T.s. They were all being robbed of their youths by a monster hell-bent on destroying their world and Angelina was working in a joke shop, simultaneously trying to figure out when she would fool around with Fred again. She hadn't accomplished any of her old school goals, hadn't played or even thought about quidditch for months, hell she hadn't talked to her parents for awhile either.

Life was playing out around her and she had no part in it. The wind was only a precursor to an impending storm, but Angie stood there her hair whipping across her face, the light reflecting off the stony expression of her eyes. She knew what she had to do, she had to fight, she had to protect those she loved, had to ensure that the world of her dreams that involved caramel-colored children with red hair would exist.

With the rain drenching her, Angelina looked out into the night and knew that she had to join the Order of the Phoenix. It felt right, but she could only wonder what Fred would think.

* * *

George had decided to spend the night over at Gwen's, the girl who had managed to keep his brother occupied for longer then his typical two week period of shag 'em and leave 'em. Fred knew he was clearing out before Hurricane Angelina struck and he really couldn't blame him. 

Ideally, Angie would probably piss and moan and in about three weeks when she started talking to him again be resolved and let the twins head out for war. Both he and George knew that she would be able to keep the shop running successfully until they came back. They'd give her full proxy power, she'd hire some help, and she would be safe. Fred didn't let himself consider the obvious option that maybe WWWs would be a target.

Opening the front door he was surprised to see what appeared to be a semi-drowned person sitting on their couch. When he closed the door, the shape didn't move but it did know his name. It was amazing how she could sense him, knowing the difference between him and George far beyond the physical.

"Hey Fred" her voice was soft, barely even a whisper.

Once he removed his cloak, he moved to the couch to join her, muttering a quick drying spell as he sat down.

"Thanks."

"Katie not getting any better?"

"Nope."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes."

Alright something was definitely the matter; he knew it was time to try a different tactic. He moved his hand up her back to rest on her nape subtly massaging the knots she gathered there when she was under heavy stress. He felt her respond to him, yet he also watched her clench her face as if she could will herself to stop the warmth that started in his hand and flowed throughout her body. Gathering her close he dared to ask again.

"Angelina…"

"It isn't fair Fred." Her mood was like the wind swiftly changing course. She jumped up from the sofa, poised like a tigress "I mean this should never have happened to Katie, we shouldn't have to make decisions like this I mean we're barely 18 for Merlin's sake."

"What decisions…" he ventured but she continued as if hadn't said a thing.

"I mean its all flippin luck that you and I and our friends were born when we were, to have to experience this abnormal maturation process. This is supposed to be the best time of lives, we should be able to party every weekend without a care, but we have to visit friends in the hospital or worry because one of your parents is a Muggle. You have to sit there and believe some 16-year-old kid who can barely comb his hair is going to save all of us."

"There's no need to bring Harry into this…"

"Its about responsibility, its about a war that we have to fight. I won't let this happen again….no… I will not sit here at some stupid shop while my whole world falls apart."

"Now wait just a minute…"

Suddenly she was back on the couch next to him. She looked at him in a way that sent all his blood to his groin but definite warning synapses off in his head.

"I won't lose you Fred." She whispered just as her lips met his. Her hand reached into his trousers to free his shirt so she could then caress his chest, it was enough to drive a bloke insane. He pulled back.

"Angie have you been drinking?"

"No, whatever gave you that impression?" She purred.

"Okay wait a second, not that I don't find it ridiculously hot with you being the aggressor for a change, but seriously what is going on with you?"

"Aww Fred don't be that way."

He chuckled earnestly "Angelina Johnson I know you too well for your own good. You're up to something I can feel it."

With a glance down she arched an eyebrow "Really? I hadn't noticed."

"Angie, look me in the eye." He knew that would always be her undoing, because when it came down to it, his angel could never lie to him.

"I'm joining the Order."

Now it was his turn to jump up from the couch. "WHAT?"

"I'mm j-j-joining the Order."

"Dammit Angelina…what exactly was your plan get me all bothered and then tell me….oh wait that's exactly what you did."

"Don't get all put out with me, you and George have been planning to do the same!"

"Turning the tables will get you nowhere."

"But I'm right and you know it. Its not like I have to ask your permission. I've already informed my parents and their fine with it."

"I find it hard to believe your father is fine with it." His voice inflection mocking hersb

"I'm of age, it really doesn't matter what he feels about me joining up…or you for that matter!"

"For goodness sake woman! Keep your voice down, not every inch of Diagon Alley has to hear you."

"Fine…but enough about me Fred. How long did you plan to wait to tell me you and George were joining?" Her voice was now a dangerous whisper, he was safer when she was yelling.

"How did you even figure that out?"

"Unlike you, I'm not a complete idiot. I noticed that you guys have stopped developing marketable products, making cutbacks, saving up so I could hire more people. What did you think I was going to do….baby-sit the shop while you two are out there fighting?"

Now Fred was pissed, only because he could never get anything by her. Didn't she understand that it would be hard enough knowing that his entire family would be wrapped up in this business? Ron and Ginny would follow Harry to the end of the world. His father and mother were already members of the Order, Bill and Charlie were doing their part. He tried to temper his anger, but the reddening of his ears, that classic Weasley trait had given him away.

"Look I just want you to be safe, the 'stupid' shop needs someone to run it. You've been great here these past couple of months. Do you really want me to be excited about my girlfriend deliberately putting herself in harms way. I was your beater for six years so I know how you are…"

"What does that mean?"

"You're impulsive! You make ridiculous decisions in the heat of the moment."

"Are you saying I was a shite chaser?" Now she was really incensed.

"No, I'm saying you were a brilliant chaser. Those were the qualities that made me fall in love with you. Wartime is different though, those same qualities will get you killed."

His last comment sucked the wind out of her sails completely, gone was the anger. Her features softened, closing the gap between them.

"You are the sweetest of men."

"You're still going to join?"

"You know I am…but I'll be extra careful. I can't promise you anything more than that, but you damn well better promise me you'll be careful as well."

"I always am…" he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"So that's it then?"

"I guess so…" he wasn't sure if he had forgotten something because she was looking at him funny.

"I never thought it would happen during a fight, I mean maybe over candlelight or soaring over a field playing quidditch…oh or maybe in the garden at my parent's house…"

"Angelina what are you on about?"

"You Fred Weasley…" she stepped into his easy embrace poking him lightly on the chest as she grinned up at him. "You just said you love me."

Her sing-song voice forced him to rise to the challenge "Why Miss Johnson I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Oh Fred I love you too…"He took this moment to kiss her again, knowing now that her response would be completely genuine, no demons soaring through her mind this time.

In that moment they couldn't get enough of each other. Clothes were hastily flung in every direction. He worshipped her body like a man possessed taking her full breasts in hand, hearing her moan his name making him want to take her right there on the floor, fulfilling years worth of desire...

"Oi!!! Don't you two have bedrooms!"

A shriek elicited from Angelina as she, clothed in only a bra and knickers used Fred as a human shield to hide from his twin who, as usual, had horrendous timing.

"Cripes sake George I though you went home with Gwen tonight?"

"I did and I proceeded to shag her and then end it. It has been almost three weeks, didn't want the bird to get the wrong impression."

"Oh George, you are such a pretentious bastard" said Fred's back.

"Why thank you Angie and may I say that quidditch has done wonders for you and I never knew that you had such large…"

"SOD OFF GEORGE" said Fred and Angelina in unison.

He responded with a laugh "Well I guess I'll leave you two alone then…Did you tell her about the Order."

"Yes" Fred ground out.

George cocked an eyebrow "Not the response I was expecting, maybe I should have been the one to tell her."

"Fred, if you don't do something you might have to actually use a mirror to see what you look like in the morning."

George sent his brother a wink and headed off to bed. Fred turned to look at Angelina who was hurriedly putting her clothes back on.

"Angie c'mon don't let him ruin this."

"Fred we have to be up early tomorrow, shop opens at 9."

"I'm fully aware of that." He ran a hand absently through his hair. "You are slowly driving me crazy, I mean a guy has needs…wait, I didn't mean that like it sounds."

"Well what did you mean?"

"Its nothing…look will you at least sleep in my room tonight?"

"I don't know Fred…."

"I swear I'll be on my best behavior although you are the embodiment of temptation." Fred may not have been able to see it, but Angelina was blushing to the tips of her toes.

"Alright then."

"I swear that phrase is music to my ears every time you utter it!"

That night they fell asleep in each others arms, weary of all that was on horizon but safe in the knowledge that they loved and were loved in return.


	6. Chp5 Hoping for a Future

A/N EastEnders is a registered trademark of the BBC. The Blue Door Bistro Restaurant is a real place in Covent Garden…there I think I've covered all my bases.

Sorry it has been awhile since I last updated, but I'm graduating from college on Saturday so with final exams and all, things have been pretty hectic around here. I know I promised a double posting, but the next chapter simply is not ready yet. Sorry I also realized that I made a canon mistake but not having the Verity character around earlier in my own plot line so please forgive me on that score. Anyways, hope you enjoy and a big thank you to those of you that have left reviews and added me to your favorites list. I really appreciate it. Always--LadyWave

_**Chapter 5 Hoping for a Future**_

They took their oaths in the second week of December that year, in an induction ceremony that saw many of their graduating class joining up. Even Alicia had been motivated to become a member. As of yet they hadn't really seen any action, but had been assigned various roles. Lee had a place with propaganda, trying to get the word out that Voldemort was back and that every magical family should be prepared. The twins were supposed to be working on new charms, potions, or spells; anything that could help the Order. Angelina, herself, was put in charge of running through scenarios and battle plans. Yet, their ordinary lives continued as well. The shop was thriving and they had taken on two new employees, Verity and Bernard.

It was March 1, 1997 and Angelina had decided to take her mother out to luncheon.

"Mum?"

Angelina called into the foyer of her childhood home in Muggle London. Her mother's non-magical status was seen as a wonderful challenge to her pureblood father. Colin Johnson wooed and pursued Tessa Broussard ferociously, resulting in a 24 year marriage and of course Angelina Eleanor. Her fingertips grazed the polished oak table full of family photos and stopped on an antique sterling frame that was surprisingly empty.

"That one is for you my dear." Her mother's voice floated down from above. "I saw it while I was out shopping with the girls the other day."

"I thought you already had my graduation picture framed."

"We did that's in the parlor. I'm talking about your wedding picture."

"MUM!"

"Tut, girl I'm just being prepared. Now what brings you to this side of town, you aren't doing anything else dangerous are you?" The last time Angelina had been home was to announce that she was joining the Order, it broke her heart to hear the way her mother's voice changed full of inherent worry. While Tessa understood and interacted with the magical world frequently, the fact that she was utterly impotent in protecting her only child had never been something she could quite come to grips with.

"No, I just thought I would drop in and take my favorite mum to lunch."

"Fred's not with you?"

"He and George are out looking at properties in Hogsmeade, there's a rumor that Zonko's might be up for sale. Dad around?"

"No dahlin,' as he says just because war is on the brink doesn't mean an end to quidditch. He's working out the Beaters this weekend. You should go down next weekend though."

"Why?"

"He's working out the Chasers."

"Mum, we've discussed this."

"Well, you can't blame a mother for trying and at least I'm not as bad as your father. Let me grab my coat and we'll be on our way. I do hope the place is in walking distance…"

For as long as she could remember, her mother had hated side-along apparition. Her father refused to put the house on the floo network, so family travel had always been a bit complicated. Not that she could blame her mum, side-along did have the ability to make even the most-accomplished wizard sick to their stomach.

Soon enough mother and daughter were making their way towards the Blue Door Bistro in Covent Garden, once seated however Tessa could not help but pester her only child about her future. It bothered both Tessa and Colin that Angelina was spending all her time in the joke shop. With Angie's grades she could have done about anything and even her father believed that she would have made a decent quidditch player, but with all the opportunities open to her with her mind, Johnson name and talent, and even her mother's good looks, Angie worked in a minimum-wage job that seemed to afford her no future.

"Angelina, your father and I are simply concerned is all."

"I understand that and I've told you both that I don't plan on staying at the shop forever." Her mother had that stern look about her, a face that Angie mimicked well when Fred was concerned. "It's just temporary until the rest of the world gets its act together."

"My dear, I understand that things are uncertain but that is certainly no excuse to put your own life on hold."

"But I'm not, I'm enjoying myself. I'm learning things, meeting different people. To be honest, I practically run that store now, what with the twins always in the back working on new products. I directly supervise two employees; the store is turning over the highest profits it has seen in months.

"That's wonderful, but it isn't your profit. You don't have any ownership claim…"

"I thought you and dad said that I did not have to be concerned about my income."

"As our only child and sole beneficiary of course not, but that is not an excuse for you to free-ride Angelina."

"Mum, I refuse to work at the ministry right now because I don't believe in the people who run it, and I'll have you know that I decided to keep in-shape in preparation for trying out next season. I just needed a break you know, are year off to try enjoy what I have now."

"Hmmm, so what is going on between you and Fred?"

"We're fine, he's not happy with me joining to the Order, but he'll get over it."

"That's my girl….and in other areas." Angie knew full-well what her mother was saying but wanted the satisfaction of hearing her formulate the words.

"You know…has he figured out how to break your father's ward yet."

"No, Fred and I are not sleeping together. I'm just not ready yet."

"As your mother I'm happy to hear it….as a woman with some experience may I ask if this has presented any problems?" Tessa had always made it a point of fact to make sure that her daughter could talk to her about anything.

"I can tell he's frustrated….but I'm afraid he'll turn out like George."

"Even though they are twins, they aren't the same person Lina." Her mother reached across the table to cover Angie's hand with her own in a sign of tacit understanding.

"I'd kill him if he ever cheated on me."

"Honey, you'd have to beat your father to it….you feel that strongly about him do you?"

"I love him…I know I'm young, but it just feels so right. I feel like I've always loved him since the day he yanked one of my braids our first year. Is that wrong?"

"I made your father chase me for months because I could, I wanted to make sure he was in it for the long haul, and we haven't spent a day apart for almost 25 years but you make damn sure that he loves you more than you love him. Otherwise he'll break your heart."

As they tucked into their meal, conversation turned towards more trivial matters: her parents' plans for their holiday to the Caribbean and the greenhouse her mother wanted to build. She dropped her mum back at home, staying around long enough to visit with her father as well before returning to Diagon Alley. She found the flat empty which was surprising, since the twins should have been home hours ago. Angie figured they probably went up to Hogwarts to visit with Ron and Ginny, since it was the youngest Weasley male's birthday. She settled in on the couch to watch an EastEnders Marathon on the telly she had brought from home.

* * *

"Well what do you think?"

"I think the old man has lost his mind."

"He's old; I can't believe he wants that much money though."

"Do we have it?"

"Angie says we do."

"Let's go get a pint before we make any drastic decisions, I hear Madame Rosemerta has found a way to make her breasts seem larger…" lecherous George was practically drooling.

"As if that were even possible."

The ginger-haired twosome grabbed a table at the Three Broomsticks, ordering butterbeers for old time's sake and a couple of pints of the local brew. Since it wasn't a Hogsmeade weekend the place was bit quiet.

"Damn, George look around, not exactly a thriving community. We could lose a lot of money on this."

"You're not seeing the bigger picture twin; it's an investment that could pay dividends in the future."

"There are a lot of 'ifs' in that future George. You saw what Ginny wrote, Hogsmeade weekends being cancelled left and right and possibly for good. That's why the old man wants to sell and that offering price has to be inflated, he wants us to bargain."

"Well what about the mail-order system. That's keeps us in the Hogwarts' market."

"Yeah but Angelina says we're losing money on it….oh bugger! I'm a complete shite!" Fred slammed down his drink.

"What are you on about?"

"We can do both."

"Both?"

"Its like you said, it would be an amazing investment. We'll buy Zonko's now, but just hold on to the property. I mean it may be a sizeable amount of money now but a lot less then it would be after the war….

"Right…we make it a distribution center, run the mail-order system from there, save money on postage and travel…"

"And when the war is over, we'll make it the second store." The finished in unison, in true twin fashion

"Damn fine idea Forge."

"Couldn't have said it better myself Gred…oh wait a minute….I did say it better." He ended with a chuckle; the two of them always had the ability to find a silver lining in every situation. "So I think we are ready to make Mr. Hoekstra an offer."

"Not so fast twin…Mr. Hoekstra can wait a few more minutes; we have more important things to discuss." George repositioned himself, leaning it to ask what appeared to be a difficult question. "What exactly is going on between you and Angelina?"

"What the hell is this?"

"Fred it has been almost a year since you two started dating, I know you two aren't shagging…"

"She isn't ready." Fred's answer was rushed as if he had been having this argument inside his head for weeks.

"Do you have someone on the side?"

"Merlin George what kind of guy do you think I am?

"Well I know you aren't a virgin..."

"Look….I love Angelina and I'm willing to wait until she's ready. I mean don't get me wrong, having her across the hall is driving me insane but I'm not like you, you wanker."

George raised his arms in self-defense and laughed. He knew that eventually Angelina Johnson would no longer be a complement to their party of two but be the one to take Fred away. They had been made for each other, while George had been amazed at the ceiling in the Great Hall and wondering how it worked; Fred was more interested pulling Angelina's hair out of her head. They had classes together, played quidditch together, and now it was three of them in that flat. It was only a matter of time, George only wondered how soon.

"I suppose we should take Ickle Ronniekins his birthday present now." Fred offered George his coat from the rack, and they prepared to head up the hill towards their old school loaded down with products from their own shelves to give to their only younger brother…

* * *

A series of intense loud rapping noises jerked Angelina from the telly-induced coma she was experiencing on the couch. The clock read 1:30am and it appeared that the boys still weren't back from Hogsmeade. The damn noise continued as Angie realized that it was an owl and upon further inspection a school owl from Hogwarts. Angie felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as she read a hastily scrawled note from George:

Angie,

Something has happened to Ron, he was poisoned and we don't know why or by whom. Fred and I are gonna stay up here with mum and dad for a bit, but he's starting to lose it….he needs you Angie, come as quick as you can!

George

Angelina had dissapparated before the parchment had fallen to the floor and soon found herself in front of the tall wrought iron gates that guarded the entry path up to the school. She ran the rest of the way to the front door and once inside apparated to the hospital wing…

"Look OUT!!" Her quidditch skills served her well as she had no more than a second to duck out of the way as a statue shattered to pieces as it connected with a wall.

"What in the hell?" Angie practically screamed as the scene in front of her focused. There stood Fred flushed and panting as the actual thrower, Harry Potter was sitting by the wall his head in hands and Hermione Granger was beside him, mechanically rubbing his back her own face drawn and pale.

No sooner had Angelina blinked a second time that Fred had taken her up into his arms, crushing her to him.

"I'm so glad you're here" his voice was muffled against her forehead.

"Baby I'm so sorry, whatever you need I'm here" her voice was soothing, trying to tame the rage she could feel welling up inside of him.

"I swear to Merlin, the Weasley name is cursed. First Ginny, then dad, and now Ron."

"He's going to be fine" she craned her neck beyond his shoulders to get Harry and Hermione's attention "You guys hear me; he's going to be fine." Her tone at least got Harry's attention.

"Aye captain" he answered.

Just then the doors to the hospital wing opened up and out walked Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, George and Ginny. They all appeared to have the same expression of grave concern.

"Madame Pomfrey is going to keep him overnight, but they say he's going to be alright." Molly was able to say before she fell crying into Arthur's embrace.

"I think everyone should head home and to bed…'allo Angelina didn't see you there." Arthur said. "George why don't you help me with your mother, Ginny Hermione and Harry back up to Gryffindor tower with you lot and Angelina darling will you make sure Fred gets home alright?"

"Yes Sir Mr. Weasley."

"Oh posh dear call him Arthur." Molly said as she blew her nose into her handkerchief.

As everyone went their separate ways, Angelina turned her attention back to Fred who was being uncharacteristically quiet. When he made for the entrance hall, she silently followed him. His steps were deliberate; his otherwise youthful jauntiness was gone. He pushed his way into the front lawns of the school, trudging down the path.

"Fred!"

He continued on…

"Fred!...Sweet Merlin would you slow down! I'm not going to chase you through Hogsmeade." Just as she caught up to him, he stopped so that she slammed straight into the brick wall that was his chest.

He stared at her, his expression blank and unforgiving. "I never said you had to chase me."

"C'mon Fred don't be like that…its ok to hurt for your brother. It's ok to be mad, to feel completely hopeless…"

"Things can't go on like this Angie; if they aren't safe at Hogwarts…it shouldn't be like this for them or us for that matter."

She hugged him to her, leaning her head on his chest. "Oh, I choose to believe that there will be a time when it won't be, when we will all be free to go about our lives. When I can go back to quidditch and you and George will be on the cover of Gringott's Quarterly for being the most successful businessmen in Great Britain. It's going to happen Fred; you just have to have hope."

"It's hard…"

"Stuff and nonsense you do it everyday."

"Hunh?"

"You make it a point to invest in your future everyday. You keep making new products, expanding the shop, I mean that's what your were doing today, keeping an eye on your future."

"I don't think we're buying Zonko's."

"What? Wait, before you answer that lets get home yeah?"

They apparated back home to Diagon Alley, where Angelina continued the conversation without missing a beat.

"So what's this about you guys not buying Zonko's?"

"Well Hogsmeade visits are cancelled, George thinks it is pointless to pick the place up now."

"I still say it will be a good investment."

"I mean we were thinking that too….I mean then with everything that happened tonight, on the kid's birthday for goodness sake." Fred had taken to pacing in front of the hearth, while Angelina watched him with patient understanding.

"Are Bill and Fleur still getting married?"

"Of course."

"Well then there is your answer. You have the money, buy the place now. If people are still getting married and having children there is no reason for you to stop working on making items to make those children happy."

"Speaking of said wedding, do you want to go? You know as my date."

"Well I figured me being your girlfriend and all that I would kind of have to."

"Ha-ha, some girls get all particular about family events, especially weddings."

"Hi my name is Angelina Johnson, I was sure we had met previously." Her sarcastic tone did not go unnoticed by Fred, who realized quite belatedly that attributing such characteristics to her would not be seen in the greatest of light.

"You know what I mean Angie." He sat down on the sofa next to her, wrapped his arm around her as he wont to do from time to time.

"I know and of course I would love to go to the wedding."

He kissed her forehead. "Well I'm glad that's settled."

As they sat there in companionable silence, Fred noted the way that they fit together so easily. He simply could not tell where he stopped and she started, there was something about this girl that made her so special and endearing, and maybe one day…"

"It's going to be alright…I need to hear you say those words Fred."

"It's going to be alright." He whispered into her ear. "I just wish I had your rosy outlook on everything."

"C'mon let's go to bed, I have to spend another morning teaching Verity how to use the cash machine again….I swear George hired her just so he could drool all day, she lacks basic common sense."

"I think you're being too hard on her."

"Well I don't think that's your brain doing the thinking." She flashed her eyes down towards his nether regions, flipping him a smirk.

"Oh you are so not getting away with that!!" He chased her down the hallway, her giggling laughter music to his ears.

* * *

_4 months later…_

It was making him restless, this interminable period of waiting. They hadn't been called to the scene that day at Hogwarts when Dumbledore was killed, and Bill was bitten by Fenrir Greyback. It made Fred itch with vengeance, but today was for smiles and happiness; one last episode where they would all be together before the fatal battle that was sure to come. His thoughts of blood and glory were sidetracked by the ever enticing sent of gardenia that his girlfriend was wearing. Angelina looked beautiful, almost radiant, as she hung on every word that came from the Ministry official's mouth. She was wearing a simple white dress the made her seem ethereal to him, with the pearl necklace he had given her for Christmas, it wasn't worth much but she never took it off.

As the minister continued to dictate the sacred binding oath to Bill and Fleur, he took hold of Angelina's hand as he surveyed the rest of the guests gathered in the backyard of his childhood home. Unable to pick a girl who wouldn't read too much into being asked to a family occasion, George had asked Alicia Spinnet to be his date. Fred knew it had pricked his dear twin's pride, for it was Alicia setting him in his proper place in their fifth year that spurred the "Love 'em and Leave 'em" streak George had been on for the past three years. Harry and Ginny were sitting together, as were Ron and Hermione….some things finally going right. Charlie was on-leave from Romania, and even that sniveling weasel Percy had condescended to grace them all with his and his equally stuck-up girlfriend Penelope Clearwater's presence. His mother was crying, while his father patiently transfigured another handkerchief for her. He wondered how his family, the undaunted Weasley clan that had already survived so much, would survive this war. The delegations from both the Order and Hogwarts were strong with such notables as Professor McGonagall, Remus Lupin, Tonks, and Mad-Eye Moody, would they all be back to celebrate after Voldemort and the Death Eaters were gone…

Loud cheers and clapping interrupted his reverie as Bill heartily kissed Fleur as the minister introduced Mr. and Mrs. William Weasley. Everyone then moved into the tent that was set up in the yard for the reception. Angelina and he were placed at the table with George, Alicia, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. He noted the expressions of his companions. Harry looked prepared to do battle then and there, Ginny was pissed off. Ron and Hermione were doing their best not to jump on top of each other then and there…

"What's going on with you lot?" Leave it to George to break an uneasy silence.

"Maybe they just want to be quiet…people do that George."

"Alicia I didn't bring you here to nag at me all day."

"No you just brought me here because I'm the only _respectable_ girl you could find."

"Amen to that sister." Angelina added which caused everyone at the table to laugh. Leave it to his girl to find some way to break the tension. His girl…he mused. Never had he been so possessive of something before. Growing up poor meant that everyone had to share, but not her. Angelina was his and only his. He loved her and she loved him, with so many things uncertain in everyone's life, he was always sure about that one simple fact. It was high-time he let the entire world know.

"Angie?"

"Yeah…"

"Come dance with me."

"Fred it's a slow song." Her voice was doubtful, she knew how pointless he believed slow-dancing to be, but today was different. He wanted her warm body to sway against his, the precious silk of dress to swirl about her pretty legs as he twirled her. Showing her off to his friends and family as his, making her smile in the exclusive way she reserved just for him. He rose to his feet and held out his hand.

"My lady?" She answered by stepping into his arms. As they danced, he guided her with confidence and he could tell that she was genuinely surprised.

"Have you been taking lessons?"

"This is natural talent, can't you tell?" Her laughter again, he wanted to hear that laughter for the rest of his life.

"Do you love me?" He asked.

"Of course" she answered without hesitation.

"You know I love you."

"Never doubted it for a second." She smiled at him as spun her out and then back into him. As the music came to slow end and he moved to dip her, he asked one final question.

"Will you marry me?" For a second the entire world stopped. It was just Fred and Angelina out there on that dance floor, he was refusing to pull her back up until she answered him, which she did the best way she knew how.

"Alright then." No sooner had she said the words then Fred let out a loud "HUZZAH!" He left a laughing Angelina on the floor and ran up to the center of the raised dais where the wedding party was seated.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, if I could have your attention for just one second. I know that that today is supposed to be all about Bill and Fleur but I just asked Miss Angelina Eleanor Johnson to marry me and the silly chit agreed to it!" Resounding cheers exploded from the guests as the girls rushed to congratulate his Angel, her eyes locked with his. It was a look that bespoke love and promises; he would always remember the way she looked in that exact moment. He may not be able to give her everything she deserved or an engagement ring for quite some time, but Angelina was his….Voldemort be damned!


	7. Chp6 Tell Me

A/N: Greetings again loyal readers. If you are in the States: most major cinemas will have tickets for Order of the Phoenix available for presale on the 28th of June. Well here it is, the chapter you've all been waiting for: the justification for the "M" Rating, so beware. Sorry it has taken so long to update, but since the last time I update I started my first job, moved into my first apartment, and went home to California for a week. It has also been difficult to write this chapter and probably the ones to follow because I'm now stepping away from JK Rowling's universe, meaning all the information about my two characters has been completely exhausted and that this story will most likely become AU. Anyway that's for me to deal with and you guys to enjoy so without further ado: read, relax, and review--LadyWave

_**Chapter 6 Tell Me**_

The sounds of the grandfather clock's merciless ticking were the only ones that emanated from the beautifully appointed front parlor of the Johnson's London home. On one sofa sat the stoic form of Colin Johnson, Angelina's father, and on the other was the lightly perspiring form of her fiancé. Tension hung in the air like a thick fog; her father's current stance usually brought quidditch stars to their knees and was one that she had actively been avoiding since childhood. In this moment she couldn't be anything other than proud of Fred, for standing his ground. She gently placed the tea service on the table between them while warily eyeing both parties for any sign of change. Without any response, she exited from the room sliding the pocket doors closed behind her and returning to the kitchen where she and her mother had set up base camp.

"Well?" her mother's voice inquired.

"No change."

"At all?"

"No."

"Goodness, it's been nearly three hours, why would this be taking so long?"

"Honestly Mum, I don't think Dad has actually said anything, or blinked for that matter…poor Fred." Angelina rested her head on her mother's shoulder.

"Now now, dahlin." Her mother patted her on the back, much as she had done when Angie was younger. "I think the fact that your father hasn't killed him yet should stand for something, I wouldn't be too worried, you know your father is all bluster."

"This was supposed to be a happy day."

"And it still is my dear, I am so happy for the both of you." She took her daughter's face into her hands, searching her face. "I can't believe my little Lina is getting married."

Angelina quickly moved to shrug her off, preferring to sit down at the bay window in the breakfast nook, resolutely staring off into space, and maybe in the most hidden part of her soul, second-guessing what her father probably perceived as a rash decision.

"Well why don't we take a turn about the garden?"

"Mum I don't think that now…"

"Lina I refuse to watch you sit and stare for another three hours. Let's take a turn about the garden, some fresh air will do you good and I can tell you some hilarious stories about your father snorkeling in Jamaica without fear of being overheard."

With one last sidelong glance towards the parlor, Angelina retreated outside with her mother, hoping for a sign that Fred might make it out of that room alive.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, Fred wanted to torture that damn clock, give it a slow-agonizing death, and yet it had been his only company since Colin had barked for Angelina and Tessa to give them some time to talk. He didn't know how much longer he could stand sitting there waiting for Mr. Johnson to say something.

He had envisioned this day a little differently, thinking that asking for Angie father's permission would be merely a perfunctory formality. Tessa had been so excited, but Colin hadn't moved, not an inch, for three hours. Frustrated but undaunted, Fred helped himself to a cup of tea and met his would be father-in-law in the eye. His own crystalline blue-eyes meeting stoic brown full of a challenge that plainly said he wasn't going anywhere.

"Look Mr. Johnson, I can see where you might have some reservations but I want you to understand something…I do love your daughter."

"Hah!" Well it wasn't much but at least it was a reaction.

"Sir you should never have any doubts on that score."

"How old are you again son?"

"Just made 18, sir."

"Precisely!"

"I'm sorry I don't quite follow you."

"You both are barely of age and you want to jump into marriage. You barely know each other."

"Excuse me, but I've known Angelina for seven years and loved her for at least two that I'm conscious of."

"Erroneous! You were and in many ways still are children. Don't think I don't know what's going on. You think because there is a war on that you two need to go out and do something rash. It's just like last time, people running off and getting married, having children well before they should. Dammit Fred I expected you to be more level-headed, having your own business."

"Sir, we're just getting married. I want Angelina to be taken care of, in case something happens to me, the protection of the Weasley name, the shop, everything."

"And the Johnson name isn't enough for her?" Colin fumed. "Weasley name, yes I hear your sister-in-law, Mrs. Bill Weasley, is already expecting her first child in the Spring. You lot are like rabbits."

"Now wait just a minute…" Fred tried to interject.

Colin had finally risen and taken a threatening stance behind the sofa, his voice rattling the pictures on the walls. "I refuse to let you turn my daughter into some kind of Weasley baby-machine."

"For the last time, neither one of us see children in the future, not even in the immediate future. I just want to make our situation permanent. I want Angelina to be a part of my life."

"That's another problem."

"I don't understand what you are getting at this time…sir." Fred too was now angry, he had always had a decent relationship with Angie's father before, and he knew her family was everything to her, but a line had to be drawn somewhere.

"What I'm getting at is that every aspect of her life is already wrapped up in yours. She works at your shop, lives in your flat, you both have the same friends. She hasn't seriously picked up a broom in six months; her life is your life."

"I was under the impression that she was happy; that this whole situation was what she wanted."

At this Colin finally took pause, because he knew in his heart that his daughter had never been happier, not even when she had made quidditch captain. She was almost glowing this morning when she came into the foyer, on this boy's arm. A flash of her as small child flitted through his head as he began to realize what almost everyone else had known for some time: that this Fred Weasley would be the one to take his little girl away from him. While he may have wished it would have been a few more years off, he could not begrudge them a life together, not when Tessa's own father had tried to do the same to him. Still, in spite of all that, he had his own concerns.

"Look, Fred to be honest with you, you are a decent kid, you have your own successful business and I can say that I would be honored to have you as a part of our family…"

Fred, a bit shocked, managed to clip out an utterance of thank you.

"But these are my concerns. If you love my daughter as much as you say you do and know her as well as you think you do, you'll realize that she is a very passionate person. She does nothing half-measure."

"One of the many reasons I love her and also fear for her safety on a daily basis."

Colin smirked. "Be that as it may, right now she has devoted herself to loving you, to being a part of your world, regardless of what she wants. She's selfless that way, but everyone has their limit. I fear that one day she might wake up and realize that somewhere along the way her own goals disappeared. That one day you'll grow tired of her or she'll grow tired of herself."

Hah…it was sad when a man didn't even know his own child very well. He knew Angelina was happy and that these dire predictions of her father would never come to pass. These were just the tirades of a father losing his only child, a daughter no less, he felt sure that his own father had one planned for when Harry came 'round asking about Ginny.

"I can't predict the future, but I promise that I'll look after her, that I'm everything I'm working for is for her, she'll want for nothing."

"Well then I guess I can't rightly say no, can I?"

* * *

"Honestly Fred is the blindfold necessary."

"I swear you have no patience."

"We've been walking for a good hour already."

"It has not been an hour." Fred was incredulous; they couldn't have been walking for more than 20 minutes. The night air was cool against their skin as they walked down a quiet road outside of Gloucester.

It had taken him almost another hour to escape Angie's parents' house, but his plan was not going to be derailed. They stopped back at the flat long enough for Fred to grab a picture of a location that was close to their destination but far enough away that Angie would still have no idea where she was once they apparated. So far his evil plan was working…

"You're just going to have to hang on for a little while longer."

She stopped dead in her tracks, folded her arms across her chest. It was her position of resistance, stubborn mule that she was. He couldn't resist taking in the woman that was soon to be his wife. The fit body that drove him crazy by day and haunted his dreams at night, was nothing less than stunning tonight of all nights, the night he would lay everything he had at her feet. He approached her from the front, his fingertips slowly grazing up her arms in a manner he knew would slowly drive her mad. He traced the outline of her lips with his finger tips, and bent his head slightly to nip at her lower lip.

"It's a surprise, trust me its going to be worth it." He gently whispered across her face. "You wouldn't want to ruin it would you?"

Her voice was faint when she answered "No."

"The take my hand, stop being so grumpy, and come on."

Their path had given way to a large section of open pasture and he could almost see the outline of the thatched roof that was their destination. As they approached the rickety white gate that was somewhat off of it hinges, he guided her through but stopped short in the garden that was in a desperate need of attention. He raised his right hand to caress her face and draw the blindfold away from her eyes. Her expression was confused but he saw the light pop back into her eyes as if this was one of those crazy adventures they used to undertake back at Hogwarts.

"What's afoot? Did you get the old gang back together for some ill deeds again?"

He couldn't help but laugh at the hopefulness in her voice. "Unfortunately no, tonight is just about you and me."

"Oooo…." She said as she scampered away, peering inside the dusty windows. "Do you think we could go inside?"

"Yeah, I know the owner. I don't think he will mind." She made for the door, her curiosity clearly piqued. Since it was unlocked, she went ahead inside. He could only smirk and follow at a more leisurely pace. Her voice was echoing off the walls, as she moved from room to room.

"What's upstairs?"

"Don't know." He shrugged.

She answered by running upstairs and yelling down to him that there was the nicest bedroom and loft space.

"Oh really?" he said in a mock uninterested tone.

"Yeah really!" She said with a smile on her face as she came back downstairs. The view of the yard is great from up there too. Have you seen the size of it? You could put half a quidditch pitch back there."

"So you like it?"

"Are you kidding?"

"Great."

"Fred why did you bring me here?"

"Well my friend, the bloke that owns the place, wanted to get a female opinion on it. See he just proposed to this bird and he wanted to give it to her as a wedding present."

"Damn." She seemed disappointed.

"What's wrong?"

"I already began thinking about the color schemes I would put in here. You know how my imagination runs away from me, but wouldn't this have been a great place to start out, you know just you and me?"

"Tired of George already?

She laughed again, her laughter echoing off the walls. "You know I love your brother, but won't it be weird for him after we get married?"

"I suppose you are right. C'mon we better get going." He reached his hand out to take hers, palming a cold metal object at the same time. As her hand slipped into his just at the foot of the banister, she let out a little "o" sound.

"Wha?"

"Since you like the place so much, I figured I'd give it to you now." His smile was large, because the look on her face at that moment was one he would remember for the rest of his life, as she realized that the key between their hands was they key to the house.

"Oh Fred!!!" She leapt into his open arms. "Really, it's ours?"

"Only if you want it."

She rained kisses on his face, but he could also taste the salt on her cheeks. "Angel, why are you crying?"

"Because I love you," and this time she smiled and started to laugh once more.

"Are you laughing and crying at the same time?"

"Hey, laughter through tears is my favorite emotion!" Soon she resumed kissing him in earnest and it was not long before she had excited his poor body into quite a state.

She broke their kiss long enough to ask "Is that a wand in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

"C'mon let's go home." He set her down and turned away from him, trying to convince his body to calm down. Once again all he had to look forward to was a good wank at home, determined to make it to their wedding night, like she wanted. He then felt her warm body press against him, becoming acutely aware of her lush breasts pressing against his back, and her lithe arms winding around his waist.

"I thought we were home." She whispered. She began to nibble and suck on his neck, right above his pulse in the spot she knew would make his resolve melt.

Fred let out of low guttural sound, but suddenly turned around placing his arms firmly on her shoulders and putting a good body's worth of space between them. "Dammit, Angelina I won't be able to control myself if you keep this up." He let go of her panting now.

"I'm not asking you to." Her voice was low and husky as she closed the space between them.

"What about your father?"

"He's not here."

As she sauntered closer to him, he gulped painfully "The wards and enchantments."

"To my knowledge, we're in our own house, they won't work here. Essentially I'm all yours." She began to unsteadily button her blouse, a slight blush creeping into her cheeks.

He laid his hand upon hers to steady them, pleading with her just so he was certain. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"I've never been more certain." Her gaze was steady and sure, it appeared that the night they had been denying themselves since the first time he kissed her at the Yule Ball in 1994, was finally upon them.

It was then that all the blood in his brain rushed southwards with startling quickness, and felt basic human instinct take over. He watched rather than moved his hands towards the buttons of her blouse, noticing the slight rise and fall of her breast. He was amazed at his own control, because his loins wanted him to just rip off her clothes, throw her on the floor and take her roughly, but it couldn't be that way especially not with the woman to whom he was giving his name. After he removed her top, he paused to stare and could not resist stealing a kiss.

Angie felt as if her heart was going to pound through her chest, Fred was being so slow and deliberate and all Angie wanted to do was rush, a fact that she chalked up to virginal eagerness. He kept looking at her as if he wanted to devour her, his wilder rougher side threatening to take over. It excited and frightened her all at once, but she was still touched when he stopped to transfigure a more hospitable surrounding. Soon the room was aglow with candles and cushions were strewn about the floor creating a room that reminded her of the Moorish Palaces of Spain.

Fred took her by the hand and led over to the pillows, where they finished undressing. There they stood naked facing each other taking care to memorize every freckle, dimple, birthmark, bruise, and scar. He wanted her to make the first move, his skin burning for her touch. He had to be sure that she was okay with this and being his own Angel, sensing his desire moved into the circle of his arms and allowed Fred to make her belong to him.

He began to drive her wild with the feathery soft caresses, whispered moans along her nape, and gentle kisses at her breast. She began to ache for something more as her body began to spiral out of control with fevered ecstasy. She wanted something, anything to satisfy this quivering sensation in her belly, but her Fred was being cautious and Angie knew that in this moment she wanted to be possessed body and soul, not coddled.

"Fred…" even he doubted that she knew how incredibly sexy it was for her to say his name like that.

"Yes love."

"I want…."

"I know what you want."

It was then that she locked eyes with him and pleaded with him to give it to her. He entered her as slowly as he could; trying his best not to cause her great pain, watching her face for any sign that he should stop. Her face made a slight "o" as she surrendered her virginity to him, as he waited for her to adjust to his size, waited for a sign to finally let loose the animal inside him.

"Mmmmmm….that's nice."

A slightly forced chuckle escaped his lips, as he rose above her body and began taking her over and over. "Tell me…" it was nothing but a gruff whisper the first time.

"Tell…you…what?" Her response a gasp of sighs.

"Tell me I'm the only the one." Just a bit farther.

"You know you are."

"Tell me there will never be another." Just a bit deeper.

"It's only you Fred."

Those were the words that took him to heaven, experiencing for the first time in his life, complete and utter bliss. They lay there in the glow of their lovemaking, dreaming of the children that would one day fill the house, the memories they would share, and believing that the future was nothing if not wholly theirs. Fred was just beginning to drift off to sleep when he heard his Angel whisper:

"I'm so glad that our first was with each other, because that means you will always be only mine."

He didn't have the heart to tell her that it wasn't his first time.


	8. Chp 7 Learning to Communicate

A/N: I don't know about you guys but I am wickedly excited for tomorrow night as I will be at the Midnight Showing of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!! Wanted to get a chapter up before that to thank all of you that have subscribed to my story. I also thought it might be time to claim characters that are indeed of my own creation: Colin Johnson, Tessa Broussard Johnson, and most recently Claire Greengrass. She is supposed to be Daphne's [original canon character older sister. As a warning there is heavy swearing in this chapter because as reviewer SilverScribes said: "Lying is never the answer."

_**Chapter 7 Learning to Communicate**_

"We've been over this at least a dozen times." George pushed back from the desk, throwing his quill down in frustration.

"What about bat wings?" Fred piped up from the trail he was pacing nearby.

"Why don't you go back to pacing back and forth, at least its something you're good at it." His voice was harsh.

"Alright mate, its time to call it a night…if we leave now maybe we catch the girls at the Dastardly Wizard…"

"Slow it down my twin. You know they organized that Defense League thing tonight."

"Damn, that was tonight. You know we might have to start going to those things, she stunned the hell out of me this morning just because I gave her ass a nice slap over breakfast."

"As much as I love it when you regale me of your life with the ball and chain, even though you guys haven't even tied the knot, we need to figure out this damn potion before we go broke."

Sure they already had a section of WWW's devoted to protection and dark magic detection. Their shelves were lined with shield hats, gloves, and cloaks in the morning and empty by closing time that night. Their Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder and decoy detonators were a big hit as well, with the ministry putting in a special order to outfit the entire Auror Division with a set of each. But they needed something, something that could profit the Order during the war and their pockets afterward, it that way it was a double-edged sword, making it doubly difficult to produce. And they needed to produce. Buying Zonko's was still a good investment, but now they were cash-hungry. Fred had spent the rest of his savings to buy his and Angelina's new house, George had finally finished paying Harry back for their start-up loan. While the twins were not in debt, they weren't exactly swimming in galleons like they used to be. People may have wanted to have a laugh, but the joke division was suffering.

They had been trying to develop this elusive new product for the past couple of months. While Angelina, along with Alicia, organized a small group of friends to practice defense in order to make themselves feel useful to the cause, Fred and George had locked themselves in the back room of the shop to come up with the ultimate aid for the Order. The problem was that for the first time in their careers as inventors, they were stumped. They weren't even sure what they were creating at the moment it was supposed to been invisible ink, but that slop swimming in the cauldron was anything if invisible.

"Look man, you're my brother and I love you but there's only so much of your sniping that I'm willing to take."

"Urgh! I'm sorry, I just really need to get this done, its gnawing away at me. Like I'm this close, but I just don't see it."

"Well what we're attempting here is pretty extraordinary; no one has ever done anything like this, not even Hermione. We've been at this for six hours straight, c'mon lets catch a break, back to it in the morning."

"I swear we're being punished because we never had to experience the stress of studying for our N.E.W.T.s."

"Maybe so, George, maybe so."

Fred went out front to start locking up the store. As always Angelina left the tally number by the registers to make sure the receipts balanced the till. Of course her register always matched, Verity's on the other hand was an entirely different story.

"George!"

In answer to his brother's call, he poked his head out from the back room. "What's afoot?"

"Verity's damn till doesn't match up _again_! We've got to do something."

"What's missing?"

"5 galleons."

"Aw c'mon Forge that's not that much."

"Yeah, but you of all people know that it will add up, this has been like this for awhile now and you know it."

"Well maybe you're not very good at basic math." George came over to recalculate the figures Fred had already come up with. While, Fred laid his hands on the counter looking his twin dead in the eye.

"We're going to have to sack her, if this keeps up."

When the numbers didn't add up, just as Fred had said, George's face became a decent shade of puce. Quickly diving into his own pocket to balance the sheets, so Angie would not catch on, he eyed his brother.

"Well she's good at other things."

"The girl has two jobs: restocking the floor and we all know she has convinced Bernard to do most of that and working this register. Look, just because she gives you a good wank in the storeroom, and quick shag every now and again, is no reason to keep her here."

"You know about that hunh?"

"I'm your twin." He stated simply. "And you two are not exactly quiet."

"Alright mate, I'll talk to her about it. You staying here tonight or Gloucester?"

"I'm staying were no stray jinx can attack me in my sleep."

"Good choice."

* * *

Down the street, Angelina and her best friend were at the Dastardly Wizard enjoying a guy free zone. It had felt like years since the last time she and Alicia had some time just for the two of them. 

"So I wanted to ask you an important favor." Angelina stated simply to her friend who was sitting with her at the bar.

"Shoot."

"I wanted to know if you'll be my maid of honor."

"OOhhh!! Of course Angie, you didn't have to ask!"

"Yes I did, I'm broke and I want another round, I figured this way you'd buy me one." Angelina added with a jovial wink.

"Well I was going to buy the next round anyway….Merlin I still can't believe you guys are getting married. Have you set the date yet?" Alicia asked wistfully.

"Not exactly, we want it to be soon, but with the War and everything, it's kind of hard to plan."

"Wow, you're going to be Mrs. Fred Weasley, that's pretty crazy."

"Excuse me!" A foreign voice interrupted them. It belonged to a leggy blonde, with bright green eyes and a body built to drive men crazy. She couldn't have been more than a year older to Angelina and Alicia, but her look of polished sophistication made Angie feel like that tomboyish, awkward girl that had stumbled around Hogwarts again.

Alicia slid Angie a skeptical look before politely replying "The loo is behind the bar, second door on the left."

"No, no, no…did I hear someone say that there was going to be a Mrs. Fred Weasley, as in George and Charlie's brother?" Her voice was a high-pitched squeal

"As well as Bill, Ron, Ginny, and the sniveling weasel Percy" was Angelina's cheeky reply, mocking Claire's annoying tone.

The girl gave a slight simper of polite toleration, and then turned her back on Angie to focus her attention on Alicia. "Well you must be the lucky lady, although I must say I use the word luck with a stark sense of humor."

"Actually…" Angie said loud enough to get this girl's attention.

"You can't be serious?" The blonde eyed her with skepticism.

"You're right, my name isn't serious. I'm Angelina Johnson, soon to be Weasley. The question is who exactly are you?"

"Merlin's beard this is almost too astonishing for words." She squeezed in a bar stool between the two friends. "Well I'm Claire Greengrass and if you are the same year as Fred then I was two years ahead of you."

"Clearly not a Gryffindor." Alicia said icily.

"No, Slytherin, but c'mon let's let bygones be bygones. I just can't believe you convinced Fred Weasley to marry you. Are you pregnant? I mean if you are doesn't he realize that a witch has other options nowadays, those Weasleys can be terribly old-fashioned. I mean it's not like getting married is the only solution, am I right girls?."

Alicia was choking on her drink, while Angelina's anger was mounting.

"Not that it's any of your business…but no I'm not pregnant. Now if you'll excuse yourself Claire, my friend Alicia and I would like to enjoy the rest of our evening."

"Well…and here I was trying to offer some friendly female advice." Claire said acting affronted.

"Interesting enough…have any other catty remarks or would you like to save the rest of your bitchy demeanor for someone else?" Johnson family hauteur…her father had taught her well.

"Fine." Claire threw up her hands and made to leave. "I just don't think I would want to marry the guy that shagged half of Hogwarts before he turned 16."

"And how would you know anything about that?" Alicia shot out, even though she already knew the truth.

"Because I was the one that taught him everything he knows and trust me, guys like that never change." Claire left with a smile on her face and an evil glint in her eye.

Alicia gave her friend some time to let the news sink in, while Angie had been Fred's best mate at Hogwarts, besides his annoying twin brother, she knew that Fred had actively tried to shield Angelina from his dubious sexual career. Rumors always flew, but Angelina's blind devotion and loyalty to Fred had allowed them to simply go through one ear and out the other. It was the Gryffindor trait that Alicia admired most in her friend, but at the same time hated so much because it helped other people to hurt her.

"Are you alright?"

"C'mon, we're leaving."

"Maybe you shouldn't see Fred right now. I wouldn't want you to say something that you would regret later."

"I'm not going home."

"What?"

"We're going to go see Hogwarts most infamous gossip."

"Who?"

"Lee…fucking…Jordan." The tone in Angelina's voice as she clipped out those final words let Alicia know that this was going to be a long night.

* * *

"And remember witches, wizards, and warlocks let's all stay safe out there. Natalie Zephyr is going to be playing all your love songs by request coming up next on the WWN. This is Lee "Lightening Lips" Jordan signing off."

Lee removed the headsets making sure not to get them tangled in his hair. He only had two hours until his next set, what his Dad called the Subversive Hour. Lee would man the station fielding calls from people who wanted to talk about the War and their feelings of ill will towards the Ministry's lack of action. It was the little bit that he could do for the Order.

He went upstairs to his office to take a nap, lying down on the leather squabs of a sofa he had transfigured from his desk chair, he had just about dozed off when a commotion from down the hall startled him awake. The raised voices made him hesitate before he opened the door.

"Look I'm not going to kill him or anything!"

"I'm still going to have to take your wand miss."

"Of all the ridiculous…fine take the damn thing, I can hurt him more without it anyway." That voice belonged to Angelina and she was clearly not in a good mood.

"Angelina, I mean he's probably not even here, it's a Friday Night." And that was Alicia, what on Earth had he done recently to have Angie pissed at him?

"Oh he's here all right. Now which one of these damn doors is his…"

Should he hide and cower under his desk, or should he go out and take his lashings like a man? No no no…Jordan men never cowered in the face of danger. He eased out into the hallway, sending a signal to the security wizard that his father has placed with him for his protection, that he had the situation under control.

"Ah Angie and Alicia, it's been awhile. Come to have a tour of the station?"

"You have a lot of nerve showing yourself like this, acting all innocent."

In actuality, Lee was innocent because he still hadn't the slightest idea as to what was going on.

"Why don't you ladies come inside my office and we'll have a nice chat." Lee came up behind the two of them and practically forced them inside.

"Can I have MacGregor fetch you guys some tea or maybe something a bit stronger?"

"Oh Lee, she's had enough to drink for one night." Alicia shot him a sympathetic glance, while Angelina fumed.

"Well then as long as everyone is comfortable, what can I do for you?"

"Claire Greengrass."

"I'm sorry who?" Lee knew who she was; hell every boy in his year knew who she was…intimately.

"Claire Greengrass, a Slytherin slut who was two years ahead of us at Hogwarts."

"Oh that Claire! I seem to have a few passing memories of her…why do you ask?"

"You know damn well why I'm asking." Angelina was getting red in the face now and he could tell by her poise that she was ready to lash out at him.

"She knows Lee….she knows." Alicia offered from her position by his file cabinet. "We ran into her tonight down at the DW."

"I thought you two had Defense League tonight."

"Nevermind that…wait a second! Alicia you know about this?" Angelina rounded on Alicia, always the gentleman Lee intervened.

"Look Angelina we all expected Fred to tell you when the time was right." Lee used his best soothing tone.

"Yeah Angie it's not as if Fred was chaste at Hogwarts, you remember 4th and 5th year he was George before George was George. If that made any sense?"

"While it was rather roundabout, Alicia has a point. Fred had a reputation. Angelina don't play dumb, you were there."

"Look I'm not stupid, I know what was going on, I just …I just didn't know that he had slept with her, a couple of snogs sure, but shagging at 15…she's not the only one is she?" She slumped back down into the chair

"No." Alicia answered as Angie looked at her.

"Lee?"

"Dammit Angie…alright no."

"Well how many were there…I mean I remember a lot of girls, but how many did he sleep with?"

"Maybe you should be asking Fred these questions." Alicia put her arms on Angelina's shoulders trying to sooth the hurt.

"If I see Fred right now, I'll kill him."

"But Angelina…"

"It's not the girls Lee, it's that he lied to me. He said I was his first." With that she stood up and apparated.

Both Alicia and Lee knew exactly where she was headed. What in Merlin's name had motivated Fred to come up with that stupid lie, he had no reason to. If Lee's experience with women could be used as a basis of reference, he knew his comrade-in-arms was in for a long night.

* * *

Back in his old bed, Fred wasn't sleeping as well as he should be. He had gotten used to sleeping next to Angelina and spent most of the night tossing and turning…that was until he couldn't anymore.

Being unable to find a more comfortable position jerked Fred awake. He tried moving again…nothing. His mind went into overdrive then, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Ah…I see you're finally awake." To his surprise Angelina was sitting on the edge of his bed. "And it would appear that you've already discovered that you are unable to move. Well that's because I put a full body bind on you."

Now this could be fun…

"That excited light can go right out of your eyes Fred. This is not some ridiculous fantasy come to life." She leaned casually against his door, arms folded across her chest.

Damn…

She continued in her nonchalant voice, but now that he had become fully awake he began to realize that not everything was okay. She looked like she had been crying, but instead of running to him for aid as if she had been attacked, she left him unable to move. He didn't hear any other movement in the house, so George wasn't awake and therefore the Order hadn't been called to action. What in the hell was going on?

"I want to ask you some questions Fred."

His eyes snapped back to Angelina, who had now moved from her easy position at the door to sit on the side of his bed. She leaned over him, her hair tickling his face, her eyes looking deep into his.

"Look to the right if it's a yes, to the left if it's a no. Did you sleep with Claire Greengrass?"

Shit…he could only stare back at her…trapped.

"Your lack of an answer makes me think you may have forgotten who she is, let me describe her for you. My height, long blonde hair, empty green expression, Slytherin, huge breasts."

He could explain, he hadn't been trying to deceive her and to be completely honest he hadn't lied to her. It was more a lie of omission and now he was stuck here completely unable to defend himself. He watched her get up then, shaking with restrained anger.

"Oh forget it, I already know it's true." She pointed her wand at him, muttered a spell under her breath and walked out.

Suddenly Fred was able to move, he whisked the sheets away and jumped from the bed to follow her down the hall. "Angelina!"

She was heading for the door, he reached out to grab her arm.

"Take your damn hands off of me!"

"Where do you think you're going, it's three in the morning?" Fred said harshly.

"I'm going for a walk."

"You can't just walk in here, put me in a body bind, accuse me of sleeping with people, and then walk out."

"Don't you talk to me like that, I'm not a child."

"You are making damn good impression of one." It was times like these that he appreciated the three inches he had on her; just enough that he could look down on her with his piercing stare. "Now let's talk about this like adults."

"Fine…how many more were there?"

"Excuse me?"

"How…many…more…were…there?"

"I don't know Angelina, I didn't exactly keep track."

"So then why did you let me believe…"

"Let you believe?" He quizzed cutting her off.

"Yes dammit! I give my virginity to you and you…you…"

"What? Was I supposed to wait for you?" Now he was getting upset, he was pretty sure that their steadily rising voices were going to wake up George.

"Wait a second, why are you angry with me, I'm the one…"

"Look maybe it was a lie of omission."

"Still a lie."

"You think I'm proud of myself or something. I mean yeah it was great for awhile, but if it was that amazing I wouldn't have started dating you and only you, which is what I've been doing for the last 3 years. I'm making you my wife, for Merlin's sake."

"So what? That's supposed to make me feel special or something?"

"I would think so…" Fred knew he was in the wrong, at least in part, but the best way to get through to Angelina was to match fire with fire. Usually it ended up with some heavy snogging, and recently it had them falling into bed with each other, one reason why he loved to fight with her sometimes.

He noticed a lot of noise coming from the direction of George's room, but as Angelina fell into the overstuffed armchair, he knew this wasn't over.

"There is something else isn't there?" He was concerned because she had sat down looking so utterly defeated.

"Look I'm tired. I just want to go bed." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"So stay here."

"No I want to go home…to Gloucester. I'll see you at work tomorrow." She got up and came over to him, falling into his embrace, holding him extra tight. "I love you Fred."

"I love you more Angel." He kissed her brow, just as he heard her apparate.

* * *

"Alright you can come out now!" Fred shouted down the hall. Taking a seat in the chair that Angie had just recently vacated, he rubbed his temples in frustration. He looked up and sure enough not only George came stumbling down the hall, but Alicia and Lee. 

"I must say to my erstwhile reflection that was an interesting way to handle that situation."

"George you have the sensitivity of a stuffed pig." Alicia huffed. "I mean honestly Fred why lie to her, it's not like she didn't know you had girlfriends at Hogwarts before her."

"I mean I understand why when we were back at school mate, but now she's your fiancée." Lee added. "And I don't appreciate being attacked at my office." He slid a glance at Alicia.

"Hey it was all Angie's idea."

"What really happened tonight Alicia, there has to be something more." Fred asked.

"It was Claire Greengrass," she said with a sigh.

"Claire who?" inquired George, taking his place at the mantel. "She wasn't in our year was she?"

"Oh c'mon man, you remember Claire. Blonde hair, green eyes, fit build, and I'm talking huge…" Alicia commenced to whack Lee on the shoulder, "…err…learning potential."

"Anyway she was so bitchy, she heard Angie and me talking about the wedding. She asked after you Fred. She assumed I was the one marrying you, and when we pointed out that it was Angelina she asked if Angie was pregnant. The way she said it, she implied that would be the _only_ way you'd marry her."

"What a slag!" George said what Fred was thinking. He knew Claire was evil, but even he didn't think she would stoop that low…then again she was a Slytherin for a reason.

"If only that were the end of it."

"Damn Alicia, how much worse can it get?" Fred asked as he ran fingers through the long locks he knew Angie was crazy about. "She didn't say anything about Angie being a half-blood did she?"

"No, but she did say that she was the one who taught you everything you knew."

A low whistle emitted from Lee, and George sent him a sympathetic look. So that's why she was so rattled and damn he couldn't blame her.

"Shit I need to go talk to her."

"Look Fred, give the girl some space. I mean from what we heard she wasn't really that mad anymore and she said she'd see you tomorrow." Lee offered.

"Well I think I'm headed for home." Alicia rose to leave but something stopped her. "Fred I don't know if it is my place to say something, but Angie has always been a little insecure about your attraction to her."

"That's crazy."

"That's women."

"George you never cease to amaze me, look my point is that seeing Claire today just drudged all that up again. I mean you have to admit that you did have a certain type." Sage words of wisdom from Alicia and then she apparated away.

"So what are you going to do Fred?"

"Do you guys know that she had me in a full body bind tonight?"

"And I thought that the whole reason you didn't go to Gloucester tonight was to avoid getting jinxed."

"Sod off George!"

"If only I had some sort of warning or something, I mean what is a bloke to do, she caught me com…plete…ly…by…surprise!"

"What are you on about mate?" Fred had taken on a crazed gleam in his eye. It was funny how inspiration hit a person at the oddest times. He ran down the hall to his room to grab a t-shirt, shouting back to Lee along the way:

"I just had the vision for the product that is going to help the Order and make us a ridiculously large amount of galleons, and all we have to do is build it."


End file.
